The workplace is one of the most important places to address mental health. Sadly, however, the topic is usually avoided. It might even seem like mental illness doesn’t exist inside the office – which couldn’t be more inaccurate. In fact, mental illness affects many U.S. adults and is continuing to affect more and more people worldwide.
According to Center for Discovery:
- One in four adults in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder in a given year.
- An average of six to eight years pass before an individual seeks professional help for their mental health disorder.
- Fear and shame associated with the stigma surrounding mental health disorders are the number one reason why individuals do not seek professional help.
Considering how common mental health issues are, it’s shocking that stigmas still exist and prevent individuals from receiving the treatment that they need. An article published by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) notes that stigma remains a major obstacle for employees coping with mental illness. Some employees with mental illnesses hesitate in fear that their supervisors or co-workers will treat them differently, and less than a third of them receive treatment.